City resident decries use of taxpayer-funded city "blog" that is "city propaganda'

Rochester resident Cliff Newton deriding the city's use of a faux newspaper, left, which is run by the city's public info officer Matt Wyatt. (Wyatt, Rochester Voice photo; Newton (screenshot)

ROCHESTER - One of the speakers at Tuesday's public hearing on the budget called out the city's use of its website to promote a "government propaganda outlet" titled The Rochester Post.

"The city government's (blog) is costing taxpayers almost $90,000 in administrative costs, but all it is is a government blog posing as a news source," said Cliff Newton, who represents Rochester's Strafford 9 district at the Statehouse in Concord.

The city's website is maintained by Matt Wyatt, the city's public information and community engagement officer, who developed the government-run, taxpayer-funded faux newspaper shortly after he began working for the city in 2020.

Prior to Wyatt's arrival, press releases were handled by John Guilfoil Publications of Georgetown, Mass., which still handles press releases for Rochester Schools.

Newton admonished the city for establishing the faux newspaper, saying it would mislead many readers who would assume it is a regular news site.

"It's not a free press," he added.

Wyatt declined to comment on Newton's specific remarks, instead sending a statement by email.

"The Rochester Post is operated by the Public Information and Community Engagement Office for the City of Rochester," it read. "The purpose of the website is to serve as an aggregate for municipal press releases, community happenings, public meetings and hearings."

A google search of Rochester, N.H., newspapers showed The Rochester Post at the top of the heap, with The Rochester Voice next.